Improvement in combined shoulder-brace and suspenders



A. P. FULLER. Combined Shoulder-Brace and Suspenders.

No. 200,651. Patented. Feb. 26, I878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ALFRED P. FULLER, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED SHOULDER-BRACE AND SUSPENDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,651, dated February 26, 1878; application filed September 10, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED P. FULLER, of the city and county of Butland and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Gombined Shoulder-Brace and Suspenders, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanyin g drawings, in which latter- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved combined shoulder-brace and suspenders. Fig. 2 is a front view of a triangular joint-piece used in my combined shoulderbrace and suspenders; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the middle connections of the said combined shoulder-brace and suspenders.

The nature of my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations, and arrangemen ts of parts, hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed, whereby a shoulder-brace and suspenders is produced which serves to draw the shoulders of the wearer backward to an upright position, while it leaves the breast free andunincumbered and also serves to keep the garments of the wearer supported in a comfortable. and easy manner.

In the drawings, A A represent two armloops, which rest upon the shoulders of the wearer, the lower ends of which are fastened in front beneath the armpit to triangular joint-pieces [0. Between each pair of the jointpieces a a connecting-strap, B, is adjustably attached. The said strap B is permanently fastened by one end to one side of one of the joints a, and its other end, after passing through another joint-piece a, forms a loop, which loop may be made smaller or larger by means of a friction-buckle, b, of ordinary construction, whereby the distance between the joints a is either increased or diminished.

The two arm-loops are connected by a tension-loop, O, which passes through two adjacent joints, a, and the ends of which are fastened to another triangular joint-piece a.

The two extreme joints a and the middle one are provided with suspender-straps D D, which are buttoned to a pair of pantaloons or a skirt, and made adjustable in length by means of buckles d, of ordinary construction.

The middle back-strap D is buttoned t0 the back of the wearers garment, and it serves, in conjunction with the strap 0, to give the proper tension to the loops A at the back of the wearer. r

The suspenders D, at the rightand left side,

are buttoned at the front to the garment of the wearer. Their tension is downward and toward the front. The downward tension draws the arm-loop A tight upon the shoulder. The foward tension draws the strap B tight, and prevents the loop A from pulling up the strap 0. Thus the loops Aexert a downward and backward tension upon the wearers shoulders, and prevent him thereby from drawing them upward and forward.

When the wearer wants to stoop or bend over, the loops A are drawn upward, so that the upper part of the loop 0 becomes contracted and the straps B are pulled nearer together, thus keeping the back back-strap D tight.

As soon as the wearer resumes his erect posture all the described parts resume their proper position.

It is seen that, by my improved shoulderbrace and suspenders, any pressure upon the breast of the wearer is entirely relieved, and, by its gentle pressure upon the back of the wearer, continually compels him to keep his body in an upright position, while the diagonal strain of the loops Alupon the shoulders assists him in carrying his shoulders straight and keeping them back.

If desired, the wearer may dispense with the front suspender-straps D, and simply use the back-strap D with the other parts, in case there should be too a great a strain or pressure forward when the brace is first worn.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the arm-loops A, adjusting-straps B B, self adjusting loop 0, and back-strap D, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

2. The combined shoulder-brace and suspenders, consisting of the arm-loops A, the adjustable back-straps B, the self-adjusting loop 0, the suspender-straps- D D, and backstrap D, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand in the matter of my application for a patent for a combined shoulderbrace and suspenders.

ALFRED P. FULLER.

Witnesses F. M. BUTLER, JAMES A. EDsoN. 

